Still Waters
by pcworth
Summary: This is a continuation of my fic Receding Waters, and the last part of my trilogy surrounding this story line of what happens when a flood hits Storybrooke
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a continuation of my Receding Waters fic so you must read that first if you haven't. Of course that is a continuation of Rising Water so read that first if you haven't.**

Regina came too, blinking as her eyes began to focus on the night sky stretched out above her. Slowly she realized why it was odd that she was looking at the night sky and then she realized she was laying on the roof a building.

"Thank goodness," she heard a man say and she looked to see Michael there kneeling beside her. "You passed out and I thought …"

"I'm ok," she said wiping the blood from her nose and sitting up. Even as she did so she got dizzy.

"Should I call an ambulance? I was about to."

"No," she said. "Really, I am ok." The last thing she needed was it to get around town and back to Emma what had happened.

"Let me help you up," he said, offering her a hand. She accepted it and as she got to her feet she thought she might collapse again. Instead, she let go of him and walked to the edge of the building and looked down. There was still water down there, but she couldn't tell how successful she may or may not have been.

"You did it," he said as he peered down.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he said, pointing out to a building across from them. "The water had been up as high as that window there."

If he was right, she estimated that there was at least a two feet drop in the water.

"You did it," he said again, the joy evident in his voice. She smiled as he smiled and then he gave her a hug, which caught her off guard and made her even more dizzy. He apologized but she waved it off.

"We will measure the water in the morning and see for sure how well it worked. Maybe in a couple of days I could try again," she said. "For now, I need to rest"

Getting down from the roof took more effort than she would have liked but she managed to stay upright which was all that mattered to her. She dropped Michael back off at the shelter and drove home. She was just pulling in when her phone went off again. It was Emma, calling this time.

"Hello,"

"Oh, hey," Emma said. "You didn't text me back and well I was worried you might still be mad at me."

"I am not mad at you," Regina said. "But I get the feeling you are going to be mad at me. Perhaps you could save your lecture for later."

"You did it, didn't you?"

"If you mean using my magic on the water, then the answer is yes. And it worked. I estimate that the water receded by a couple of feet."

She opted for the truth knowing there was really no way to hide what she did from Emma.

"How are you feeling?"

It wasn't the reaction she was expecting, but she appreciated it anyway.

"Tired," Regina said. "I'm tired."

"Where are you? I will come pick you up."

"I'm in my car which is parked directly behind yours in my drive way. While I don't need you to pick me up, I wouldn't mind a steadying hand just in case."

"I'll be right out."

Regina didn't have to wait long before Emma was coming out of the door and jogging over the car. Regina got out and leaned against her vehicle.

"Why?" Emma asked.

That was more the reaction Regina was expecting.

"I was angry. Not at you, but I was angry nonetheless. I needed to burn off the excess energy of that anger so why not put it to good use." She didn't know how else to explain it.

"If you weren't angry at me, what were you angry about?" Emma asked.

"Robin called me. Zelena's place was also flooded. He is bringing her and Vincent back to Storybrooke to ensure they are safe and taken care of. It is of course the sensible thing to do and I even offered up my place for Zelena and Vincent to stay in if needed," Regina said. "But that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it."

"You are softy when it comes to kids," Emma said. "But are you sure you will be ok if they actually stay here?"

"I don't have a choice but to be ok," Regina replied. "I just wish something about my life could be uncomplicated for once."

"I'm not very complicated," Emma said giving her an encouraging smile.

"You may not be, but you and I together would be. Have you given any thought about how your parents would react to us being together?"

"I've been sharing a bedroom with you, trust me, you may think my parents are idiots, but even they are not that dumb. Sure I haven't said anything to them about it yet, and they haven't mentioned it, but my mom asked me just today if I was happy and you know what I said? I said I'm getting there and that you had a lot to do with that. She didn't even blink over that so if you are afraid my mother is going to sic the dogs on you for dating her daughter, I think it's safe to say she isn't. Besides it doesn't matter what other people think. The only thing that matters is you and I."

Regina groaned, "I didn't realize you had inherited your mother's overflowing optimism."

Emma smiled at her again. "You haven't flat out told me to go away yet so I figure I have the right to be at least a little optimistic."

Since she couldn't argue with that logic she indicated that they should go inside. Once there she spent some time with Henry while eating leftovers from the dinner she missed. She explained to him that Robin would be bringing Zelena and Vincent back to town. If possible he seemed less happy about it than she was.

Soon she was yawning and made her way to her room where she changed clothes and immediately fell asleep.

"Is mom alright?" Henry asked Emma when she went to check that he was ready for bed, or at least ready to pretend he was going to bed. "She looked even more tired this evening than she has been."

"Yeah kid, she will be ok. She just doesn't know when to quit. We need to keep an eye on her for the next couple of days and make sure she doesn't overdue it. Do you think you can help me with that?"

"Sure," Henry replied. "Maybe you could start by hiding her phone again so she can sleep in tomorrow."

"Maybe," Emma laughed. "But if I get caught don't think I won't blame you."

"As long as she gets some sleep, I don't care."

Emma said good night and quietly slipped into Regina's bedroom. She saw Regina was lying on the bed and since she hadn't moved Emma was guessing she was asleep already. Being careful once more she stripped in the darkness, leaving only her tank top and underwear on, and then got onto the bed – trying not to cause much movement or noise. Once she was satisfied she hadn't woken Regina, she laid her own head down on her pillow although she didn't close her eyes. Regina normally started off sleeping with her back to Emma or lying on her back, but tonight Regina was facing her.

Emma could just make out of some of her features and she thought about risking a kiss. Not wanting to wake Regina was the only thing that had stopped her from doing it.

She hadn't expressed any anger toward Regina for using her magic like she had although her first instinct had been to lay into her for it. She should have known Regina would try it. She had thought if Regina would do it, it would be because she felt so guilty about the bad things that she had done in her life that she saw this as a little bit of redemption. Having done it out of anger because her boyfriend was returning to town with her sister whom he had knocked up, and the child from that relationship, had not occurred to Emma. She knew now that Regina wasn't in love with Robin, but she wasn't foolish enough to think there weren't some feelings there. With Zelena coming back, Emma could only hope that this didn't cause some battle between the sisters for Robin's affections. While she had a hard time believing Regina doing that, she also knew the siblings didn't exactly have a healthy relationship.

To her knowledge, Regina hadn't spoken to her sister since she left Storybrooke.

She hated that she wished Regina would take this as a sign and dump Robin immediately; well she didn't hate it exactly. It was what she wanted but she could pressure Regina too much in that direction either.

It was weird, even when she was the Dark One, it seemed like things kept leading back to Regina. This woman had captivated her in a way she wouldn't have thought possible a few years earlier. But Regina had shown she was a good person once people gave her the chance to be that person.

Emma even felt a little pride thinking maybe she had at least a little bit to do with that.

Despite only moments earlier where she rejected the idea, Emma scooted closer and placed a small kiss on Regina's lips. Regina remained asleep which only served as a reminder to Emma of how exhausted Regina really was. She was going to have to find a way to keep Regina from using magic, even if it meant handcuffing her to the bed and not letting her leave.

An image of Regina handcuffed to the bed entered her mind and she groaned at the unfairness of not being able to touch Regina further. Rolling over on her side, away from Regina in order to avoid any further temptation, Emma closed her eyes.

…

Regina woke to an empty bed. Turning over to grab her phone to see what time it was and how long before her alarm went off, she sat up when she saw it was not where she left the night before. "Emma," she growled.

Getting up, she hastily took a shower and dressed, taking the stairs at an unladylike speed. Henry's room had been empty as had the upstairs guest bedrooms. Downstairs the dwarves appeared to be gone as well. She wondered where her phone was so she could first call Emma and give her a lecture about stealing other people's property and also to find out where things stood in her town. She entered the kitchen to find Granny there.

"Awake at last," she commented.

"It would appear so," Regina said looking around her kitchen. Granny was clearing cooking food for a meal – lunch, she guessed. "What time is it?"

"Just after 4."

"What!"

"Now calm down," Granny said. "You wouldn't have slept that long if you hadn't needed it. Everyone here made sure they were extra quiet this morning to make sure they didn't wake you. Not that it would have mattered. Emma said you were sleeping like the dead up there. She was ready to call Dr. Whale in to look at you when she popped in here at lunchtime and you still hadn't moved. But what is done is done and there is no sense in getting upset about it."

"I had things that needed to get done today," Regina said sternly.

"No doubt you did, but I haven't heard of any major disasters today so it would appear the town survived one day without you. Besides from what I understand thanks to whatever you did last night, we will be moving on to the clean up phase faster than anticipated."

"I need my phone, I need to check in and figure out what I've missed. Do you happen to know what Miss Swan did with it?"

"I suspect it is with her," Granny said matter-of-factly. "Now you have two choices – you can help me fix dinner for everyone when they get back or you can take a seat somewhere and mope until everyone gets back. I suppose you have a third option, but Emma did give me permission to put a crossbow bolt through your leg if you choose an option that involves you leaving this house."

"Is that a fact?"

"It is."

"And did either you or Miss Swan consider that I don't need to walk out the door to leave the house. I can merely …" she waved her hand but nothing happened. She tried it again, but again nothing happened. She could feel her magic but for some reason it wasn't working.

"Oh, I may have forgotten to mention that Emma stopped by to see Mr. Gold today as well. Asked him if he had anything that could block your magic. Turns out he did."

"I'm going to kill her," she said walking over to the back kitchen door. By the time she opened it, she heard the twang, but even so she was surprised when a crossbow bolt embedded itself into the door frame next to her head. She turned to see Granny loading another one.

"You know I don't miss. That was just a warning shot."

"You aren't going to shoot me."

Granny finished loading the bolt and pointed the crossbow so it was aimed at her leg. "Would you care to make a wager on that?" Granny said.

Regina closed the door. "I will be in my room," she said leaving the kitchen.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Granny said putting her crossbow down and returning to her cooking.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma had a pretty good idea of how torqued Regina was going to be with her when she returned that night. She imagined Regina's wrath would be at an all time high. She had expected it though when she made the decision that morning.

She had woken to find Regina still in a deep sleep and she was unsure she had even moved throughout the evening. Getting dressed – even taking a shower – hadn't phased Regina at all so after standing next to the bed considering her next move, she bent down and gave Regina a kiss on the forehead and then took the phone and left. Even taking her phone Emma expected that it wouldn't be long before Regina woke. Once she checked the water levels – discovering that Regina's magic worked (better than Regina had indicated) and that there were a lot of happy townspeople thinking she could do it again that day – she knew she had to do something.

Approaching Gold for help was the one thing that she was sure Regina would be the most upset about. Regina avoided Gold at all costs nowadays – having written him off completely after Emma had taken on the Dark One's curse.

For once Emma was trying to be the more practical one however. She had no desire to speak with Gold, but the way she looked at it, he owed her now and she was going to cash in on it. Surprisingly enough Gold did not haggle with her and seemed anxious to have her leave so she got what she needed and went back to the mansion. Everyone was gone at this point except Granny and a still-sleeping Regina.

Emma explained to Granny that she had obtained a spell that would block Regina's magic, although Gold said he didn't believe it would last more than 12 hours, if that. It wasn't a strong enough spell to block magic from a strong magic wielder like Regina for very long. Emma didn't need it to last long she figured; just long enough for Regina to come to her own conclusion that trying magic right now was not a good thing. Still when she saw Regina lying there sound asleep she began to worry. If it weren't for Granny being there she probably would have had Regina rushed to the hospital.

Granny as always had some words of wisdom, telling her to remain calm because it was Emma herself who had said how exhausted Regina was. Despite not wanting to leave until Regina woke, Emma had responsibilities that needed carried out that day in town – especially with Regina MIA when people were actively seeking her out.

Regina would find out how successful she was with getting the water to recede and once she saw how relieved the townspeople were, Emma knew Regina would want to try again immediately. Emma needed to stop that from happening. The overuse of her magic was clearly taking a toll on the mayor. The townspeople who were ecstatic over the idea of returning to their homes would not see how tired Regina was, but Emma saw it and her need to protect Regina – even from herself – was in full gear.

Of course now she would have to face the consequences of those actions. She wished she had some flowers or something to maybe lessen the blow.

She came in through the back – thinking she would gauge Regina's mood from talking with Granny one more time, but as soon as she entered there was Regina in the kitchen, apparently helping with dinner.

"Hey," Emma said, not really sure what she should say. "Dinner smells good."

Regina ignored her.

"It should be done momentarily," Granny said. "Why don't you wash up."

"Yeah," Emma said keeping her eyes on Regina as she walked through the kitchen. Regina didn't look at her once. Apparently she was going to be getting the silent treatment.

She ran up the stairs, checking in with Henry first. "How pissed off is she on a scale of 1 to 10?" Emma asked.

Henry seemed to think about it. "A 3."

"Really?" Emma said. "10 is the highest on the scale."

"I know how the scales work," Henry said with a tone that reminded Emma of Regina. This kid was definitely their kid. "She's not that mad. If she was she wouldn't be in the kitchen helping with dinner."

"Well she gave me the silent treatment when I went through there."

"That just means she doesn't want to speak to you where others will hear it."

"That's not exactly comforting," she said.

Henry shrugged. "I think she is more upset that you took her phone. When grandma got here, she asked to use her phone immediately so she could get updates on what's going on around town. Grandma filled her in so she knows about the water."

Emma who had been standing took a seat on the bed. "You know she's going to want to use her magic again to make the water go away even more?"

"Yep. She was even discussing where to do it at next."

The water hadn't just receded by a couple of feet due to Regina's magic, like she had thought. When the sun had risen, the water had receded back to where several more blocks were now clear of water. The work crews had spent most of the day tearing down some of the barriers and moving them up to the new water lines in order to begin clean up in the now water free sections. Every one was amazed and they were crediting Regina for it and wanting her to repeat it.

"I asked her not to do it," Henry said as Emma had fallen silent.

"What did she say?"

"She said like many things in her life, she didn't feel like she had a choice in the matter," Henry said. "She seemed sad."

Emma bit her bottom lip – she knew this was going to happen. She knew Regina would not be able to tell the townspeople no. That put Emma in the unenviable position of having to tell both Regina and the town no. The other people, they didn't know Regina like she did, they didn't see how much the constant use of her magic was wearing her down. Or maybe they didn't care.

While the sentiment against Regina had changed drastically over the years, it didn't mean that there weren't people who would look at this and think that Regina owed it to them to do it.

"What are you going to do?" Henry asked.

"I don't know yet," Emma said. "Reason with her, I guess."

"Do you think that will work?"

She gave him a look that told him the answer to that was a definite no.

….

When Emma went upstairs to wash up, Regina allowed herself to breathe again. She had purposely concentrated on the task at hand to make it easier for her to ignore the blonde when she returned home.

"She wouldn't have done what she did if she didn't care," Granny said.

Regina turned toward her, not sure whether to tell the older woman to mind her own business or not. "She had no right to do it," she responded.

Granny shrugged. "Maybe you shouldn't concentrate so much on that aspect of it," Granny said. "Maybe you should be thankful you have someone in your life who cares enough to risk your wrath in order to help you. I'm sure it's not easy for you to ask for help. You may not even recognize when you need it, but be grateful there is someone there for you."

"I could have handled it," Regina said. "I don't need Miss Swan thinking I'm less than capable of taking care of matters on my own. I've gotten a lot of practice it over the years."

"Would getting out of the practice of it be such a bad thing?"

Regina opened her mouth to respond and then paused. "It's a bad thing when it goes away."

"You can't live fearing good things in your life will go away."

"It's not easy when it always goes away."

"Do you mind if I give you a piece of advice?" Granny asked.

"Only if you don't mind if I don't follow it."

"Fair enough. My advice is that you shouldn't make it easy for her to walk away either. Ignoring her? Aren't you a little above such juvenile actions? Pushing her may be a way to see if she will stick around, but I think you know by now that she isn't going anywhere, unless you push too hard. Don't do it Regina. Let her be there for you."

Regina didn't respond and Granny let the conversation end on that note.

Dinner was served and Regina took hers into her home office she said in order to catch up on some work. She never looked at Emma once.

….

Emma knocked on the door and then entered even though she didn't hear Regina say anything.

"Are you done giving me the silent treatment yet?" Emma asked.

Regina was sitting at her desk but she got up now and walked in front of it, leaning against it. "I suppose so."

"Good," Emma said. "You got a lot of sleep."

"I did," Regina responded. "Thank you."

Emma wasn't expecting that and she couldn't immediately respond.

"I needed the rest. I'm not upset about that as I assume you believe I am. But I am upset."

"I gathered that," Emma said. "But if you aren't upset about that what are you mad about?"

"That you didn't ask me if I was going to be ok with it before hand."

A very confused Emma asked, "Um if I had asked you about it, I'm pretty sure the answer would have been no."

"Yes, it would have been, but I would have appreciated you respecting me enough to ask. I've spent a significant portion of my life where others have called the shots for me. I don't respond well to having my choices taken away from me."

"I'm sorry. I didn't think of it terms like that. I just knew you would probably push yourself again today."

"I would have," Regina admitted. "And I appreciate that you are looking out for me. Next time, all I ask it that you talk to me."

"I can do that," Emma smiled. "Although I would appreciate if there wasn't a next time for something like this. You need to take a break from using magic."

Regina walked over to her. "I know about the water levels. That was my magic."

"Magic you shouldn't have done in the first place," Emma countered. "It's a flood – they happen every year to places around the world and those people survive without magical assistance. We will too."

"But we don't have to wait for the waters to recede, not anymore."

"We don't have to, but we should. I'm asking you not to do what I'm pretty sure you are going to do."

"The people out there, they know now what magic can do."

"I don't care," Emma said and she moved closer to Regina. "I don't even care if that makes me seem like the bad person in all of this. It's not worth the risk to you. I will ask you again not to do this."

"I won't do it immediately," Regina said. "I could still use a couple of days of no magic and to assess the situation, but I will do it and I'm asking you to be there with me, to use your magic in conjunction with mine for our town."

Emma knew this was a losing argument. Regina was going to do it, so she was left with only the one option.

"Ok, but only if you take the couple of days of rest and absolutely no magic. If you do any magic, then I'll find some way to stop you from doing this, even if I have to find a sleeping curse to shove down your throat."

"A sleeping curse?" Regina asked, smiling. "And how pray tell would you plan on waking me up from said curse?"

Emma wasn't sure if Regina was suddenly flirting with her or what, but just getting that smile from her was enough to lighten her mood considerably.

"Well there is a history in my family of breaking those kinds of curses," Emma said stepping even closer. Their mouths were mere inches apart and Emma was sure they were going to kiss – until Regina stepped away. Emma took her own step back as Regina went back behind her desk.

"Sorry," Regina said suddenly. "I just don't want to …"

"I get it," Emma said. "The situation with Robin is still not resolved, so I get it."

"Thank you."

"Coming to bed soon?"

"In another hour or so. I did sleep most of the day away after all."

"Ok, see you up there," she said and she left the room, closing the door behind her quietly.

Regina took a seat behind her desk once more but she didn't look at any of the papers in front of her, she merely at there thinking. Robin would be back in a few days with Zelena and Vincent. She knew if she broke it off with him immediately he would think it was because he had brought Zelena back – and Regina didn't want him thinking that. Robin needed to know the truth – that soul mates or not he wasn't the person she wanted to be with. She liked Robin, she really did, and in a different time and place perhaps they would have been together.

But not in the here and now.

Then there was having Zelena here – another complication she didn't want to deal with. Yet she knew she would have to. She hadn't spoken to her sister since she left town and Robin knew better than to mention her to Regina. Yes, she would ask how Vincent was, but she never asked about her sister.

Perhaps it was time for them to put the past in the past as well.


	3. Chapter 3

There was a lot to do the next day as Regina got up early and made her rounds to the barriers to check the water levels. At her first stop, she was surprised when the volunteers on duty out there clapped as she approached. By the time she got to the third barrier it was no longer surprising. Her magic truly had made the water recede faster than expected. Where there was once water, there were now tracts of mud and debris but it looked like the volunteers had already gotten started on the clean up of these newly cleared areas.

Of course on her first stop, she was asked almost immediately if she was there to use her magic again. She hated to tell them no, but she assured them that the no was a temporary one. She did her best to explain that she needed more rest before she could do magic of that magnitude.

Despite their disappointment, she saw they also seemed to accept her answer. Even if they didn't understand she needed to rest her magic, they took her at her word that it was needed. Besides, she told them, doing it this way would allow them time to clean up these areas first and then they could move on to a new area.

When pressed for a time of when she would do the magic, she told them two days.

Emma had already given her the ultimatum of a couple of days of no magic, and she was sure that if she indeed didn't use magic in that time she would be up to the task at hand. She wanted to be able to give this to the people of the town – give them a touch of good magic so they didn't always associate her with being the Evil Queen. She didn't think that Emma quite understood how much it would mean to her to be able to do this. To use her magic for the good of all the town, not just a few, it would go a long way toward her own redemption.

She continued around town, checking water levels, speaking with people and organized a clean up plan. Some of the clean up had started in the area she cleared but it wasn't as efficient in her mind as it should be so she re-organized the clean up teams a little and put them to work. By lunchtime she had already been all around town and every where she stopped people had asked her about doing the magic again. She felt bad every time she told them that it would have to wait a couple of days.

The truth was, she could do it now – use her magic in such a manner – and with Emma's assistance she was sure their combined power could clear most if not all the water based on what she had done the first time. But resting was the wiser choice. For her to have slept like she had, the magic had drained her considerably.

If she rested now and then performed the magic, she could possibly not be as tired and not lose another day to sleep when she should be working.

Robin had not called her phone at all the day before while she rested. It was the first thing she checked when she had it back in her possession. She figured he was giving her time to adjust to the idea of him bringing Zelena and Vincent back with him. Today though, she needed to know where he was at, so she knew how the mission was going and when she would need to bring the barrier back down.

She made the call after getting a bite to eat at the shelter with Henry.

"Hi," he answered.

"Hi," she said. There was several seconds of awkward silence. "How are things going out there?"

"Good," he said. "We almost have what we need. Should be back day after tomorrow or the next."

"Good," she said. "How is Vincent handling being on the road?"

"He must think we are on some grand adventure because he seems to be enjoying himself."

Regina could hear a lightness in his voice when he talked about his son – either of his sons brought that tone out in him.

"I'm glad he's having a good time. How is Zelena?"

The question caught him off guard as he didn't answer at first, or Regina thought Zelena was right there as he was speaking.

"She's …she's a little nervous about coming back."

"That is understandable. But I meant what I said, she and Vincent are welcome in my home if that is where they choose to be. Even if she doesn't feel comfortable with that, I will be here to help her and my nephew in anyway I can," she said. "They are family."

"She hasn't said one way or another what she wants to do when we return," he said.

"Well she still has a couple of days to think about it. Now I should get going. I will call you tomorrow for an update."

"Ok," he said. He paused like he wanted to say more but then told her goodbye and hung up.

She didn't really know what she was going to say to him when he got back. Or how soon she would say it. She had been so angry when he had called the other day to say he had Zelena with him and she was coming back. The anger was so much that she was able to use her magic to clear so much water. It wasn't the first time she had felt anger like that and used it to her magical advantage.

But it had been a while.

And she hated that she had done it. She thought she was done with such things – done giving into anger, yet she had done it.

That kind of anger should have no place in her life anymore. When Zelena returned with Robin, she needed to make sure it didn't.

She didn't know what to expect in regards to her sister. They didn't know each other really at all and yet they were family and that had to count for something.

Her phone buzzed and she looked down to see a text from Emma.

"How are you doing?"

"Fine," she responded.

"Any chance you have taken a break yet?"

"I had lunch with Henry a little while ago."

That response earned her a smile emoticon.

"My father would like to speak to you privately when you get the chance," Emma texted.

Regina read it twice to make sure she was right in what it said. She typically didn't have a lot of occasion to talk with Charming – at least not without his wife or daughter present, so the text threw her off. Had Emma said something to him about whatever it was that was going on between them? She honestly couldn't think of any reason why Charming would want to speak to her.

"Why does your father want to speak to me?"

"He has some concern he wanted to run by you," Emma replied. "He is over on Emerson Avenue."

Whatever he wanted, Regina figured she should get it over with sooner rather than later, so she told Emma ok and then told her she would see her later. Getting in her car, she ran through all the things she could think of that Charming might want to speak to her about privately and nothing was sticking out in her brain except it having something to do with Emma. She was really not up for a lecture from Emma's father about his thoughts concerning his daughter's love life.

Hell, she and Emma hadn't even really talked about it. They had done a good job of talking around it, but in her mind at least there was nothing to talk about until she resolved things with Robin. Even when that was taken care of, she wasn't sure she would be ready to jump into something with Emma or anyone else. Throughout her lifetime dating hadn't exactly been something she had done a lot. She never even dated the king, she merely married him.

Her relationship with Robin was seemingly always being interrupted by something – the return of who they thought was Marian, Zelena and her pregnancy and their quest to break the Dark One's curse. It was full of starts and stops.

It was like she could never quite catch a break – really it had been that way since the day Emma came to Storybrooke.

When she reached Emerson, she saw Charming next to the barrier – she had been there earlier in the day and knew that was one area where the water was receding quicker for some reason.

"Glad you are here. We have an issue," he said, and he guided her around to the far left and pointed. She looked and now she knew why the water was receding quicker there.

"How badly do you think the road has been washed out," she asked, seeing the sinkhole that had formed near the edge of the road.

"No way to know until the water is gone," he said. "But if it happened here, it could have happened to other areas. Even when the waters recede, we can't let people into their homes until we are sure this is just isolated."

"I agree," she said. In her mind she wanted to swear – they really couldn't catch a break. "Was that all?"

"No," he said. "Let me walk you back to your car."

Warning bells went off in her mind – a Charming escort back to her car couldn't be a good thing.

"I'm concerned about your plan to use magic to make the water recede. Rather I'm concerned about Emma helping you do it."

"Why are you concerned about that?"

"Since the Dark One's curse left her, she hasn't really used her magic much, at least not in any big way. I gather what you have planned to make the water evaporate involves a lot of magic."

"It does," Regina said.

"Do you think Emma is capable of it?"

"Yes, her magic is very strong."

"I know, but I meant, do you think using magic like this will affect her adversely. She did things as the Dark One with her magic and while we haven't really talked about it with her, I just need to know my daughter is going to be ok."

"She's not just strong in magic; she's the strongest person I know. She can do this. If I thought she couldn't, if I had any reservation at all, I wouldn't let her do it," she said. "You have my word, if at any time I think this or any other magic use would be detrimental to her, I won't let her go through with it. But there is going to come a time, some time soon where whether you like or not, she's going to have to learn how to do magic. It's inside of her and it's not going away and the best thing for her is to learn how to wield it. When she was the Dark One, she had all that power, but she lacked real knowledge of how to use it and I suppose in a way we should be thankful for that or she would have been more dangerous. It doesn't change the fact she needs to learn so she isn't a danger to herself or others because of her own ignorance of magic."

"Have you spoken to her of this?"

"Yes. She seems willing, after all of this is over, to finally take it seriously and learn."

"Ok," he said. "I can't say I care much for all of this magic stuff, but I do understand what you are saying and I trust you to help her."

Regina was so shocked by that she didn't say anything.

"Thank you," he said. "Not just for this, but all of it."

"You're welcome," she stammered out.


	4. Chapter 4

Emma glanced over at Regina and was unable to keep the smile off of her face. They were over on the west side of town assisting with clean up efforts. Regina was wearing a pair of jeans and a shirt and jacket that were anything but what Regina would normally wear. Still, it didn't seem to matter what Regina wore, she looked good in it.

Yesterday – despite everyone asking or conjecturing about when Regina would use her magic again to make the waters recede – was a good day. They had worked on cleaning the cleared areas and at the end of the day there was another warm meal waiting courtesy of Granny. That night as they got into bed, Emma immediately curled up next to Regina who didn't protest, didn't say they shouldn't be that close and most importantly she hadn't mentioned Robin.

Today was also going well. By implementing Regina's plan the work was going smoothly and getting done quicker. It wasn't being handled as an every man for themselves type of operation. It didn't matter if it was your house or not, if it was your work crew you were there helping the resident of it. It kept everything from being done piecemeal.

There were crews for cleaning, crews for disposal and crews for refreshments to keep everyone fed and hydrated.

Regina was working on a cleaning crew while Emma was on disposal. It meant that most every time Emma picked something up she got to see Regina in action.

And true to her word, Regina wasn't using magic.

Even Henry was there working alongside his mothers.

It all contributed to Emma thinking about a future where this was the norm – well not the flood, but her being with Regina and Henry.

She had been brought to Storybrooke to bring back everyone's happy endings and she realized that included hers and Regina's.

"Miss Swan, don't you think you could move a little faster," Regina said. Emma had been daydreaming and hadn't even noticed Regina approach.

"Everyone's entitled to a break."

"Yes but you seem to take one every time you come to pick up something."

"Well in my defense I may have been admiring the view a bit," Emma said looking around to make sure no one was within earshot. "Those jeans. Wow."

"Miss Swan."

"Sorry," Emma said, although she was anything but sorry. She gave Regina her best grin and then picked up a load to take to the dumpster. A quick turn of her head showed she wasn't the only one who liked to do some sightseeing as she saw Regina quickly turn around and go back into the building she was cleaning.

Yes, she thought, today is a good day.

…

Today sucked, Emma thought. After starting off so well, here she was lying on an uncomfortable bed in the guest room at Regina's. Granny's had been cleared and allowed to be occupied again so Ruby and Granny went home along with Tink who rented her room from Granny. That meant room was now available at Regina's so Emma didn't have to share a room with Regina, a fact that her mother had pointed out to her a little too gleefully for her taste.

Yes she should be happy that some people were allowed to return to their homes, but she hadn't really thought about what that would mean for her sleeping arrangement with Regina. There was no way with her parents in the house that she could continue to sleep in Regina's bed.

She had thought about using her magic to teleport into the room after everyone was asleep, but when she suggested it to Regina she got shot down.

"Don't even think about it," Regina said. "First of all, what are you going to do if your parents or Henry decide they need to speak to you and find you gone? Secondly, we have some major magic to perform tomorrow evening and I won't have you anything but at the top of your game, which means no messing with magic tonight. I'm quite sure you will survive in my guest bedroom."

The conversation had taken place in Regina's office late in the day. It was also when she learned that Robin would be back tomorrow. He had called and let Regina know that they had all the supplies and would be rolling in the next day sometime in the afternoon. She didn't want to be around to see Robin hug or kiss Regina.

She tried to rein in these feelings she had about Robin, but it wasn't easy. He wasn't a bad guy and under other circumstances she might actually like him, but she couldn't find it in herself to like him now. Even as the Dark One, in one of her more darker moods, she had been annoyed by him and had thought about ending him right then and there. It wasn't until after the curse had lifted and she began to realize the extent of her feelings for Regina that she knew that impulse to destroy Robin had come from her jealousy.

He had what she wanted, and she had wanted to end him because of it.

She felt bad even now thinking about it because she knew as the Dark One she had the power to do it. She also knew that if she had Regina would not have forgiven her for it, nor would she have continued to help her break the curse.

When Regina told her Robin was coming back she had asked her what that meant exactly.

"I told you, I don't want to be with Robin like that, but I need to handle it as I see fit. There is a lot going on tomorrow with the return of the others with the supplies and you and I using our magic so if you think I am going to unceremoniously dump him the moment he steps across the border then you are wrong."

"I didn't say that," Emma said. "I just want some reassurance that this isn't one-sided, what's been going on between us I mean."

She saw Regina's expression soften. "It's not one-sided, but you also need to be patient. Even when I speak with Robin, it doesn't mean you get a free pass back to my bed. If we are going to see each other – date each other – I think we have a lot to talk about first, including what this means for Henry and how to tell him. Then there is the matter of my sister returning to town."

"I noticed you didn't mention her earlier."

"I told Robin she and Vincent could stay at my place. With Granny and Ruby gone I've got room, but I haven't really thought about what that means to have her under my roof."

"Do you think she will try something?"

"I don't know. She has been living out in the world with Vincent, away from magic, away from me, who has been the source of her anger and jealousy. I guess the best I can hope for is that she is willing to at least let go of her wish to destroy me," Regina said.

"Well I plan on keeping an eye on her just in case."

"Thank you," Regina said. "I do want it to work out for her here if this is where she chooses to stay. I've given up on wishing her ill-will so keep an eye on her, but don't do anything to make her uncomfortable."

"I won't," Emma said. "Now are you sure there is nothing I can do about these sleeping arrangements?"

The answer was still no and so here she was wide awake wishing she was in the master bedroom holding onto Regina.

Yep, she thought, this day sucks.

…

It was late in the afternoon – nearly 5 p.m. – when Regina got the call that the trucks would be there soon. She went out to the barrier, Emma insisting on being there as well. Emma had said it was because she wanted to make sure Regina was rested enough to lower the barrier and do the magic they planned for later that evening, but Regina knew while that might be part of it, Emma was there to observe her and Robin.

As the trucks came into view Regina lowered the barrier and stepped aside as the caravan came through. Once they were all on that side she raised the barrier once more, giving Emma a small smile to let her know all was fine.

She walked up to the lead truck in time for Robin to get out and hold the door open for Zelena who handed Vincent down to him. Zelena was out of the truck a moment later taking Vincent back into her arms.

"Welcome back," she said to him. "Thank you again for taking on this task." She turned to Zelena. "I was sorry to hear about your own place being flooded. You and Vincent are welcome to stay as long as you want."

Zelena didn't say anything just nodded to her and Regina looked once more at Robin.

"You said Granny's was open again, does she have room available?" Robin asked.

"I believe so," Regina said, knowing that was his way of saying that Zelena would not be staying with her.

"Vincent is tired, it would probably be best if they got situated," he said.

"There is plenty of help for the trucks, why you don't you get them settled in."

"Ok."

Regina looked once more at Zelena and Vincent who was practically asleep in his mother's arms and turned to go back to her own car. She was intercepted by Emma.

"You ok?"

"Yes," she said. "Zelena and Vincent are going to stay at Granny's. Robin will get them settled. I will speak to Granny later about paying for the accommodations until Zelena gets back on her feet."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know, but I want to."

The trucks got moving again to the shelter where they would unload. Regina stood there watching them go. It was awkward seeing Robin like that, not just because Zelena was there, but because she knew for sure that he was not the one she wanted to be with. And it scared her that she could be so certain about that.

She told Emma she would meet her 8:30 p.m. at the arranged spot for their magic and she got into her car and drove back into town. She went to her office where she laid down on the cot that was still in there. Lowering the barrier had weakened her a little, but nothing like what she had experienced when she used fire on the water. She set her alarm to wake her assuming nothing else did in the meantime and she closed her eyes to dream of better days.

…

Her nap only lasted 40 minutes but Regina did feel better for having taken it. Even with Emma's assistance, she figured tonight's magic would drain her enough that she would sleep well. It wouldn't be like it was before, but she knew she would need to rest afterward. She hadn't slept well the night before and she couldn't help but wonder if that was because she had gotten used to Emma being in bed with her – even in the short amount of time they had been doubling up.

She stayed in her office until it was time to meet Emma. She told herself it was because she had work to get done but she knew she stayed there because she wasn't ready to face Robin. Emma had texted her a little while ago to make sure she was ok, and she assured her she was and would see her in a little bit.

They had decided to do the magic on the highest building left that was free for them to get on top of but also next to the flood waters. She drove over to it and was surprised when she saw several cars parked on the sides of the road leading up a road closed sign they had put there earlier to discourage cars from getting too close to the clean up areas. She was waved through and slowed as she began to see all the people.

It was if the whole town was there to watch. She parked her car behind Emma's sheriff's cruiser and got out to applauding and cheers. Emma quickly came up to her.

"What is all of this?" Regina asked.

"Word got around and people wanted to watch," she said. "Should I send them away, tell them we can't do this with an audience?"

Regina looked around at all the faces, many of whom she knew were living in the shelter and whose homes were still there in the flood waters.

"No, it's fine."

They walked through the crowds of well-wishers and got to the building where the fire department was set up to keep people back and to let them inside. Robin was standing there at the door.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she replied. "Did Zelena and Vincent get settled in?"

"Yes," he said. "I heard about this, thought I would come and lend my support."

She saw such kindness in his face, and she wanted so much not to be the one to end this, but she knew it was on her shoulders. "I would like that," she said. "Come on."

Emma had gone up ahead and if she was surprised Robin came up with her, she didn't give any indication of it. Charming and Snow were up there as well as Henry, who wished them luck. Telling the others to stay back, Regina walked with Emma to the edge of the building and looked down on the water.

"Do you remember my instructions?" Regina asked.

"Yes. Are you sure you are up for this?"

Regina looked back at those who were up on the roof. Her eyes went from Robin to Henry. "Yes, I am sure."

"Ok," Emma said. She looked over at Regina who made eye contact with her. "Before we do this, I just wanted to say thank you. Thanks for everything you've done, from giving Henry a great home to putting up with my mother in your house, and most of all for not giving up on me when others have. You brought me back from the darkness and for that I will always be grateful."

The heart-felt sentiment was more than Regina expected and she didn't know how to react so she said nothing. Instead she turned to the water once more. "Give me your hand."

"What?" Emma said.

This hadn't been part of the instructions she gave Emma, but while Regina couldn't say anything about what Emma had just said to her, she wanted Emma to know in some way what it meant.

"Give me your hand," she repeated.

Emma held at her hand and Regina intertwined her fingers with hers. "On three," she said. "One, two, three."

The magic ripped from Regina's hands with more power than she had ever wielded before. It shocked her so much she almost stopped, but she quickly got it under control. She kept her eyes on the water and refused to look over at Emma. She was afraid if she did, her magic would falter. She had to trust that Emma was doing what she was supposed to be doing and from the corner of her eye at least she could make out the light of fire that Emma was producing.

From the ground level, people could see the glow of the fires and they cheered, but Regina was oblivious to all of that. She kept all of her concentration on the magic. She let herself get lost in it – her only connection beyond the magic was the hand she held in her own. When she felt a tug on that hand and felt Emma's hands release from hers, she let go of the magic and turned to see Emma was leaning over, her hands on her knees.

"Are you ok?" she asked quickly.

Emma nodded yes, but didn't stand up immediately. When she did, she stared directly into Regina's eyes. "I'm ok."

"I love you."

The words were out of Regina's mouth before she even knew she had said them. And from the look on Emma's face, it was clear she too was stunned.

"Are you alright?"

Regina turned to see Snow and Charming hurrying toward Emma. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said as they reached her.

"Moms you did it."

Both women peered over the edge where Henry was also looking. Although it was dark out, they could see the street below them.

"We did it," Emma said.

Regina was about to say something when she felt a hand on her arm. She turned to see Robin there. "Are you feeling ok?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "Although I think it would be best if Emma and I retire for the evening."

"I'll drive you," he said.

"Yes," Charming said. "You should probably rest up for tomorrow. Just think in a few days or a week we will all be out of the mansion and in our own homes."

Regina felt sad and she averted her eyes from the rest of them. "Come on Henry, let's go home."

They all went downstairs and the moment they hit the sidewalk every one was cheering for them. Regina looked at Emma once more before Robin directed her to her car. He opened the door to the passenger side for her and she gave automatic responses to anyone who said anything to her on the way there. Getting into the seat, she buckled up and leaned her head against the head rest and closed her eyes.

"Are you sure you are ok?" Robin asked as he started up the car.

"I'm fine," she said.

Her mind was screaming that she was anything but fine. She had just told Emma she loved her.


	5. Chapter 5

Emma was pacing in the guest room of Regina's home when she was supposed to be resting. And while she felt tapped out of energy, she couldn't even think of sleeping after what had transpired on the roof of that building.

Regina had told her that she loved her.

Then she had promptly left with Robin.

She had been stunned that Regina had even said it and then it was like everything was on fast forward. Her parents were talking, Henry was talking, Robin was talking and there she was standing so close to Regina yet feeling like she was a million miles away from her. She wanted to yell at everyone in that moment – to tell them all to shut the hell up so she could hear Regina say those words to her one more time.

Now she had to wonder if she ever would hear those words again.

Robin had taken Regina and Henry home, and by the time Emma had gotten there Regina was in her bedroom with the door shut and according to Henry, she wasn't alone in there. Robin was in there with her and that was why Emma was now pacing.

She knew Regina had to be exhausted because she was feeling that way. Yet Emma wasn't resting because of the idea that Robin was in there helping Regina rest.

Shaking her head, she knew she was being a little irrational. Regina had told her she wasn't interested in Robin that way any longer so it would probably be in Emma's best interest to trust that Regina was not doing anything other than maybe talking to him. It was easier said than done however. She kept thinking of excuses she could use to interrupt whatever was going on in there. Regina of course would see right through any such actions.

Finally she couldn't take it any longer and she slipped out of the guest room and quietly went over to Regina's door. She was about to knock when she heard Regina laugh. It caused Emma to stop as she considered the light-hearted sound she had just heard. It was unlike any other laugh she had ever heard come from Regina's mouth. This was a laugh of pure happiness.

And Emma wasn't the one in the room with her when she did it.

Turning away, Emma went back to the guest room, but she was only there for a moment before she used her magic to teleport outside. Appearing beside her car, she felt dizzy and put her hand on the car door to keep upright. Once it passed she got into the car and left.

….

Regina was tired by the time they pulled into the driveway and yet she wasn't even thinking of resting. All she could think of was what had transpired on that rooftop. She had told Emma that she loved her.

It still seemed unreal to her that she had said those words.

Yet even as she thought about it, she knew she had spoken truly.

She was in love with Emma Swan.

The realization of that – and the fact she had said it out loud – hit her harder than she would have anticipated.

There really was no turning back now. Not that she had been thinking of turning back, but she had no idea how any of this was supposed to work and now she had essentially leapt in with both feet. She and Emma hadn't even been on a proper date.

"Mom?"

Regina was pulled from her thoughts by Henry who was standing there next to her car door, holding it open for her. She hadn't even been paying attention to know they had parked.

"Are you sure you are alright?" Robin asked her.

"Yes. I just need some rest is all," she replied, giving him a small smile. She got out of the car and Henry got to the front door first to open it for her. It took a moment for it to register that Robin had also gotten out of the car and was now walking beside her.

"You don't have to walk me to the door, I think I can make it," Regina said to him.

"I'm sure you can," he said. "But I was hoping we could talk."

"Robin, I'm really tired."

"I know, but after what happened up there, I really think we shouldn't wait to talk."

She stopped and turned toward him, cocking her head slightly. "What do you mean after what happened up there?"

He smiled at her. "I'm fairly good a reading lips. And 'I love you' isn't really a hard one to understand when it comes to lip reading."

She closed her eyes and nodded; then opened them. "Yes, perhaps it would be best if we didn't wait to speak."

They went into the house and after assuring Henry that she was fine once more, she went upstairs to the only place she figured she would get any privacy with Robin – her room.

As soon as she closed the door behind them, she said, "I'm sorry. The last thing in the world I wanted was for you to get hurt."

"Do you really love her?"

"I do," she sighed. "I don't know how it happened or why, but I do."

"I think I do," he said. "I think maybe I knew there was something there between you two all along, but until I saw you up there on the rooftop and saw you say those words I didn't know it was love. Since I have known the two of you, there always seemed to be this indefinable push and pull between you. It was like being adversaries and friends at the same time. Then when Emma sacrificed herself and became the Dark One to save you … I probably should have stepped aside then."

Regina moved away from the door, walking past Robin and sitting on the bed. After a moment, he sat there beside him.

"When she took on the Dark One's curse I had myself convinced that Emma would have done that for anyone. I mean she can't actually seem to help herself sometimes. She just runs in to danger like the consequences to herself don't matter. And I was doing a pretty good idea of ignoring that she had done it for me. She was with the pirate after all and I was …I was with you," she said. "But the moment she did, the moment she took on that curse I knew I had to do everything in my power to get Emma back. Again I had myself convinced that I was just doing it for Henry, or even for her parents. I didn't allow the thoughts into my head that I too wanted Emma back."

She wasn't looking at him as she spoke. She wasn't sure she could keep talking about this if she was actually looking at him. She wasn't even sure why she was telling him all of this, only that she needed him to understand that this was never a reflection of him.

"When the curse was broken why didn't you and Emma get together then?" he asked.

"She didn't seem to want to be around me when she first returned and so I let her have her space. It wasn't as if I was even consciously thinking about her and I as a her and I back then. I wasn't. Yet I was drawn to her and what she had gone through because I know what it is like to come back from darkness," she said. "Then there was you and I."

"Yeah, well I made a mess of that didn't I?"

"Don't," Regina said, looking at him and putting a hand on his. "Don't blame yourself or beat yourself up over all of this. Zelena tricked you. But you, you were doing what you thought was best for your family. It was not an easy situation for me, but it wasn't easy for you either. Like I said, I never wanted you to get hurt through all of this."

"I take it that means that Emma returns your feelings; that you and her have talked about this?"

"She has feelings for me yes. Is it love, well that up on the rooftop was the first time either of us said it. I don't want you to think she and I have been sneaking around behind your back, we haven't. In fact it wasn't until this flood happened that Emma even suggested that she had feelings for me. When confronted with it, well, I could hardly deny that there was something there between her and I. But I told her that nothing could happen between us as long as I was with you. She knows that I needed time to talk to you about all of this. I wanted to be as fair to you as possible even if this situation feels as anything but fair to you."

"I appreciate that you haven't been seeing her in addition to seeing me," Robin said. "This may sound like a stupid question, but where does this leave us? The whole soul mate thing, I mean."

"I don't know," she said. "The more I think about it, the more I wonder if while you were my soul mate, when I didn't choose you back all those years ago if that in someway nullified it. I don't know, maybe that is just me trying to justify what is happening now between us."

"It would appear you aren't choosing me again."

"Oh Robin, I'm sorry."

"No need for an apology," he said standing up. "I do care for you Regina and all I want for you is your happiness. We have both made mistakes along the way, and who is to say that fate won't bring us back together again some day. Although I rather doubt that Emma would ever let that happen."

Regina laughed, unable to keep it in. Robin didn't know how right he was about Emma not letting that happen.

"She really does make you happy, doesn't she?"

"She's is without a doubt the most aggravating person I know, but yes, she somehow makes me happy."

"Then it is settled," Robin said. "We have spoken, now you can move on."

Regina got up and gave him a hug. They held on to each other for several moments and then Regina escorted him down the stairs. As she held the door open for him to leave she noticed that Emma's car wasn't out there. She thought she had heard Emma come home earlier and go into the guest room.

Once Robin left, she went back upstairs and knocked on the guest room door. There was no answer so she went in and found it empty.

It took only a minute for her to come to the conclusion of why Emma wasn't there. The question was where was she?

….

Emma peered into the darkness and wondered what this area of town would look like in the morning. It was clear - the combined use of their magic had succeeded in making a lot if not all of the water go away, but there was still a lot of work to do. She had been up there – where she and Regina had been just a couple of hours ago – trying to make sense of everything that had happened.

When she had first left Regina's house, she had driven around, but soon discovered her behind the wheel right now was not a good idea as she felt like sleep would claim her any moment. Instead of going back to Regina's she had come up here.

She still couldn't believe Regina had told her that she loved her and then had gone away with Robin.

"How long were you planning on staying up here, or is this where you intend to sleep tonight?"

She turned to see Regina walking toward her. She must be tired, Emma thought because she hadn't heard Regina arrive until she announced her presence. Emma turned back to where she had been looking out at the town. A few moments later Regina joined her there.

"You should be sleeping," Regina said when Emma continued to ignore her.

"So should you."

"Yes, but I can't because you're out here and I told your parents I would come fetch you. They were worried that they hadn't even known you had left."

"I just needed some space."

Emma still wasn't looking at Regina.

"Do you wish me to leave then? Or would you like to try being an adult and speak to me?"

This time Emma did look at her. "Oh now you want to speak to me. Well tough, now I am not in the mood."

"What is that even supposed to mean?"

"I don't know Regina, why don't you tell me. Why don't you tell me why you said you loved me and then went off with Robin?"

"I'm sorry," Regina said. "I figured that it was why you left the house. It's also why I left you alone for a bit, hoping you would maybe be a little less upset when I found you."

"A little less upset." Emma said; her anger apparent. "Why shouldn't I be upset? Is this some sort of game to you? Did you think I would accept that you could say something like that to me and then lock yourself away in your bedroom with him? I get it, you said you needed some time to deal with things with Robin, fine, have all the time in the world."

She moved away from Regina, intent on leaving the other woman up there on the roof and finding some other place to be alone with her thoughts. She had gone about 10 feet when she ran into a barrier – a magical one. Whirling around to face Regina once more, she moved forward with the idea of making Regina drop the barrier, but she had gotten about half way there when another barrier blocked her path. She hit it with her fist a couple of times.

"Let me out of this," Emma said through gritted teeth.

"I will when you calm down and listen to me."

Emma hit the barrier again, and then took a step back, calling up her own magic which flared in her hands.

"Don't," Regina warned.

Emma ignored her as she let her magic blast at the barrier. Regina took a defensive position, using her magic to keep the barrier up even as Emma's magic battered it. Emma felt her magic draining her so she called up more for one last blast. It smashed the barrier and hit Regina full on, knocking the other woman down.

"Regina!" Emma said rushing forward once she realized what she had done. She was down on her knees next to Regina whose eyes were closed. "Regina."

"You really need to learn to control your magic," Regina said, opening her eyes.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes," Regina said, sitting up. She scooted back a bit so she could lean against the small bit of wall there. "Although I don't think it's likely either of us will be using magic anytime in the coming days."

Emma moved to sit beside her. "Are you sure I didn't hurt you?"

"I'm sure," Regina said. "Just knocked the breath out of me for a second."

"I'm sorry."

Regina turned to look at her. "I'm the one who is sorry. I'm sorry I left here with Robin."

"Why did you?"

"I don't know. I guess I was in shock over what I said. It was not my intention to blurt that out like that. Then everyone was here around us talking and it was just easy to let him guide me to the car and take me home."

"I wasn't far behind you, but when I got there Henry said Robin was in the bedroom with you and …and I didn't like that."

"Robin saw that I had said I love you to you. He read my lips," Regina said. "I had to talk to him, to explain things to him. And the weird thing was, he wasn't really surprised. He said he had always known there was something between us and when you took on the Dark One's curse he said he probably should have stepped aside then. It wasn't how I planned on speaking to him, but it had to happen once he knew. We spoke and things are over between us. You knew I needed to talk to him before you and I moved any further, so why are you out here on this rooftop?"

Emma didn't say anything at first. "I sort of got impatient with him being in there so I went to the door. I wasn't going to listen in; I thought I might interrupt though. Then I heard you laughing and it sounded beautiful. It sounded happy and I thought that with him in there that he was the source of that happiness. I left because I didn't want to be there when you went back to your soul mate."

"You're an idiot," Regina said. "I've known this for a while, yet you keeping proving it."

"Hey," Emma said, elbowing her. "Be nice."

"I was laughing because Robin and I had just talked about us being soul mates and that despite that I was still choosing you. He made some comment about never knowing what the future would hold and if he and I would get yet another chance but then he said that there was no way you would ever let that happen. I laughed because it was true. I laughed because I know that you are a person who loves fiercely and once you find someone you love, you aren't going to let them go. I was happy because I was thinking that maybe, I was going to be that person for you."

"Yeah?"

"Yes," Regina said.

"Does that mean I can kiss you now?" Emma said, flashing a smile.

"Yes."

Emma leaned over and placed a light kiss on Regina's lips, followed by several more. When she stopped, she leaned her head back against the wall. "I'm really tired."

Regina laughed. "Well lucky for I happen to know where a bed is that you can sleep in."

Emma yawned. "If the next words out of your mouth include guest room, I'm staying up here."

Regina got to her feet and held a hand out for Emma, helping her up. "Come on, it's past both of our bedtimes."

….

 **Four months later**

Emma slid into second base to the cheers of the crowd. Wiping off the dirt, she looked back at the stands which were packed with townspeople. This softball game was part of a community picnic – a way to get together and relax after the months of rebuilding their town from the floods.

Emma smiled as she picked out Regina from the crowd. She was sitting about three rows up, holding Vincent in her lap. Zelena was sitting there next to her, trying unsuccessfully to wipe Vincent's face off from where he had been eating chocolate ice cream.

The two sisters had managed to call a truce on any animosity and had even managed to be cordial to each other. Regina watched Vincent on many occasions when Zelena or Robin was working. It was Regina who had finally convinced Zelena that she should stay there in Storybrooke.

The two women would probably never truly act like sisters, but for now their relationship was benefiting both of them. Emma knew that Regina loved being able to spend time with Vincent and for Emma it gave her a glimpse of what she supposed Regina had been like with Henry growing up. A part of her thought it might also be a glimpse of a future yet to come with Regina – but those were thoughts she kept to herself mostly.

Their relationship was going well, so well that Regina had asked her to move in with her just last week. She spent most of her time there anyway so it made sense, but it was still a milestone for where they were progressing to.

The others in town, including her parents, had been surprisingly accepting of their relationship. It turned out many people had already thought there was something going on between their mayor and sheriff.

True to her word Emma had been learning about magic and she had to admit she felt better knowing how to control it. Of course any excuse to hang out with Regina was good with her.

The crack of the bat roused her from her musing and she stood there watching as the outfielder made a failed attempt at catching the ball before it went over the fence. She jogged from second base to home and turned to congratulate her teammate who had hit the home run.

"Trying to show me up?" she said.

"Maybe a little," Robin replied.

The two of them after a couple of months of avoiding and not speaking to each other had also settled into a tentative kind of friendship. Like Zelena and Regina, Emma didn't expect that it would be a true friendship, but at least they were getting along.

After the game, which the team Emma was on lost by 1 run, Emma walked over to Regina who was waiting for her.

"Where is Henry?" Emma asked.

"Getting ice cream with your parents."

Emma took Regina's hand in hers as they walked to the parking lot. "It's going to be a nice night out," Emma said. "What say I ask my parents to keep Henry overnight and we lay some blankets out in the backyard and lay there looking at the stars."

"I had no idea you had such romantic notions as stargazing."

"Oh, I fully expect to get you naked later too."

"Thanks for ruining the moment."

Emma kissed her on the cheek as they reached her car. "Come on, what do you say, me and you, a blanket under the stars. I can show you how romantic I can be."

Regina appeared to think about it. "Ok, but we're using one of your blankets. Mine are much too nice for such things."

"Only because you bought all new ones after the flood all because other people slept with them."

"Yes, well, I couldn't take any chances."

"You can be such a snob sometimes, you know that right?" Emma said as she put her softball gear in the trunk.

"Here I thought you loved me for who I was."

Emma shut the trunk and walked over to Regina, wrapping her arms around her. "I do love you for who you are," Emma said, giving her a kiss. "Just like you love me with all my flaws as well."

"I do," Regina said. "I really do."

 _The End_


End file.
